With The Stitch, our hope was that novice nurses would have a supportive community to turn to for advice, tips and tricks, and new learning opportunities to bridge the knowledge-to-practice gap.

Resources may be strained, but this is a time for resourcefulness and teamwork.

Homework involves collecting the correct supplies and instruments for a case, knowing the basics of the type of surgery to be performed, and preparing for the “what ifs.”

Take some time to reflect and discover what it is that motivates you. Dig deep and find your purpose. And answer this question for yourself, “Why do I work in the OR?”

One nurse shares her journey to becoming a perioperative nurse.

A fire risk assessment should be done prior to the start of every case, and the fire risk should be discussed with the entire surgical team during the time out.

This week, we come together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the surgical time out.

Margaret Vance, MSN, RN, CNOR, NPD-BC, shares a story about the time she accidentally disengaged a custom-made graft during an endovascular aneurysm repair.

A message of encouragement and support for novice perioperative nurses.

A message of encouragement and support for novice perioperative nurses.

One way to increase the feeling of purpose is to find your ikigai, or your why.

The perseverance and commitment to duty of the Black Angels highlights them as trailblazers that paved the way for African American nurses and leaders.

Nurses are familiar with Florence Nightingale, but how many are familiar with the Black nurses who helped cure tuberculosis in New York City in the 1930s?

Self-care is an essential, but often neglected, element of the transition to perioperative practice.

One nurse describes how she identified bioburden on an instrument and spoke up for patient safety.

A message of support and advice for novice perioperative nurses.

One nurse shares a time she found her confidence and her voice, in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation.

Mobile apps may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you are preparing for a case, but they have many benefits.

Margaret Vance, a Clinical Nurse Education Specialist in the OR, shares the time she cut the pump line without clamping it first.

One nurse shares the time she spoke up about a missing lap sponge and reminds novice nurses to listen to their surgical conscience and speak up for their patients.